The “Henry Hop” is only reserved for the most special occasions. For Dubai Hurricanes, a last-gasp, comeback win against their greatest rivals, to cap their remarkable climb back to the apex of UAE rugby and that too in the season they are celebrating their silver jubilee, qualifies as exactly that.
Two years ago, the club was languishing in the second tier of the domestic game. Despite being one of the largest amateur sports clubs in the region, they could not guarantee the availability of enough front-row forwards to compete safely along with the other giants of the domestic game.
They dropped down a division, and, although they rose back up straight away, on-field success remained a challenge. Then, at the end of last season, they put together a run of results that took them to the final of the UAE Premiership.
They fell short back then, beaten by Jebel Ali Dragons, but were encouraged to believe they were on the right track.
Twelve months later, they made it back to the same final. Again, they were second favourites on Saturday afternoon, against a Dubai Exiles side who have set the benchmark for excellence in UAE rugby for the best part of a decade.
The form guide appeared to be accurate as the Exiles, who had home pitch advantage – for what it is worth, given both sides are tenants at The Sevens – having finished higher in the league season, stretched out to a 26-8 lead by half-time.
The Exiles’ power game looked to be too much for the Hurricanes. All their tries were scored by seasoned UAE internationals: two for hooker Moeneeb Galant, and one apiece for Epeli Davetawalu and Justin Walsh.
And yet, for all the Exiles’ strength, the Hurricanes always carried a threat, especially in broken play. Wherever the Exiles left gaps, the Canes backline were clever enough to find them.
After Aaron Dubois had got them on the board in the first half, they cut the arrears with two quick tries after the break, through Andre Gerber and Martin Mangwiro.
The Exiles maintained a 29-20 cushion via the kicking tee, but Ruan Steenkamp, the Hurricanes captain, reduced the arrears with a late try.
There was enough time for the Hurricanes to mount another attack, from which they earned a penalty in kicking range. Gerber, with his 15th point of the game, bisected the posts to give the Hurricanes a thrilling 30-29 win, and with it, the UAE Premiership title.
All of which was enough for Henry Paul, the Hurricanes coach, to channel his inner Scott Robertson – the New Zealand coach who is known for his post-victory breakdancing – and bust out some moves in the valedictory huddle.
“This is something we started last season, and they wanted the ‘Henry Hop',” Paul said of his dance routine.
“I said if we win a final, I would do something. I’m not as skillful as ‘Razor’ [Robertson], but the boys got a laugh at my expense, which is fine because of what they have done for me over the past couple of seasons, and the amount of pleasure and joy I have got out of it.
“Even last year, losing the final to the Dragons, it was such a good season and we had so much to be proud of.”
The Hurricanes will not have long to celebrate. The domestic showpiece fixture doubled as a qualifier for the West Asia Super Rugby final.
The Hurricanes will play Bahrain in that, after the region’s pre-eminent side beat Abu Dhabi Harlequins 29-21 on Saturday.
Again, the Hurricanes will start that game as outsiders against a Bahrain side who have rivalled the Exiles as West Asia's top team over the past decade. And yet the Hurricanes playing style means they will always be a threat.
To be at 26-8 and turn it around just shows the character in this team. We are a band of brothers
Andre Gerber
The high-skilled, fast-paced attack is very much in their coach’s image. Paul was renowned as a stylish back in a playing career which saw him capped for England at XVs and sevens, and he was a great of rugby league, too.
Gerber said he couldn’t comment on whether the Hurricanes style is based on Paul’s style, claiming “I wasn’t born when he played”.
But the scrum-half’s own high-risk play to score the try which infused his side with belief just after half-time was the perfect expression of it.
“To be at 26-8 and turn it around just shows the character in this team. We are a band of brothers,” Gerber said.
“We have a perfect gameplan which brings out the personalities in our team. We have an expressive style of play. We believe in the system, and the system produced for us.
“Henry helps us express ourselves on the field and the belief coming from the coaching system is what allows us to do things like that.”
Paul said his side have room for improvement against Bahrain, but is thrilled to have won a final.
“As a coach, you do get nervous,” Paul said. “You back the players and say, ‘Trust what you do'. There were a lot of mistakes tonight, a lot of errors that we can fix and maybe it wouldn’t have been such a dramatic comeback.
“It shows the character of the team, and I must give a special mention to our attitude. That wasn’t the system; it was guys just working for each other.
“In terms of team morale, some guys just didn’t want to give up. We charged down three kicks, to turn those over then making something of that, it shows they believed.
“The coaching staff give them a bit of rope. Sometimes they hang themselves with it, but there are some quality players here and it is really nice to get that ‘W’ on the board in a big game.”
Dubai World Cup Carnival card
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group 1 (PA) US$75,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
7.05pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (Turf) 1,800m
7.40pm: Meydan Cup Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,810m
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,600m
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
9.25pm: Al Shindagha Sprint Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
10pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m
The National selections:
6.30pm - Ziyadd; 7.05pm - Barney Roy; 7.40pm - Dee Ex Bee; 8.15pm - Dubai Legacy; 8.50pm - Good Fortune; 9.25pm - Drafted; 10pm - Simsir
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
AL%20BOOM
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SPEC SHEET
Display: 10.9" Liquid Retina IPS, 2360 x 1640, 264ppi, wide colour, True Tone, Apple Pencil support
Chip: Apple M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Memory: 64/256GB storage; 8GB RAM
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, Smart HDR
Video: 4K @ 25/25/30/60fps, full HD @ 25/30/60fps, slo-mo @ 120/240fps
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR, Centre Stage; full HD @ 25/30/60fps
Audio: Stereo speakers
Biometrics: Touch ID
I/O: USB-C, smart connector (for folio/keyboard)
Battery: Up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi; up to 9 hours on cellular
Finish: Space grey, starlight, pink, purple, blue
Price: Wi-Fi – Dh2,499 (64GB) / Dh3,099 (256GB); cellular – Dh3,099 (64GB) / Dh3,699 (256GB)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Power: 575bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh554,000
On sale: now
Pots for the Asian Qualifiers
Pot 1: Iran, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, China
Pot 2: Iraq, Uzbekistan, Syria, Oman, Lebanon, Kyrgyz Republic, Vietnam, Jordan
Pot 3: Palestine, India, Bahrain, Thailand, Tajikistan, North Korea, Chinese Taipei, Philippines
Pot 4: Turkmenistan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Yemen, Afghanistan, Maldives, Kuwait, Malaysia
Pot 5: Indonesia, Singapore, Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Guam, Macau/Sri Lanka
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The specs: 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk
Price, base: Dh399,999
Engine: Supercharged 6.2-litre V8
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 707hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 875Nm @ 4,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 16.8L / 100km (estimate)
SPECS
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Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
TICKETS
For tickets for the two-day Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) event, entitled Dubai Invasion 2019, on September 27 and 28 go to www.meraticket.com.
Itcan profile
Founders: Mansour Althani and Abdullah Althani
Based: Business Bay, with offices in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and India
Sector: Technology, digital marketing and e-commerce
Size: 70 employees
Revenue: On track to make Dh100 million in revenue this year since its 2015 launch
Funding: Self-funded to date
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh130,000
On sale: now
What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
Date started: May 2021
Founder: Mamta Arora
Based: Dubai
Sector: Clothes rental subscription
Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
PROFILE
Name: Enhance Fitness
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 200
Amount raised: $3m
Investors: Global Ventures and angel investors
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Avatar%20(2009)
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